Delmas High Court sends double murder accused from eMbalenhle for mental evaluation

The Delmas High Court sent Leloko Mapitsi, a double murder accused from eMbalenhle, for psychiatric evaluation to determine his fitness to stand trial.

He appeared in the Delmas High Court on July 22 for double murder.

The SAPS arrested Mapitsi after discovering the bodies of a woman and a man on different days in his room in Ext 11, eMbalenhle, last year.

Phumzile Makoena’s body was found in the bed after Mapitsi’s mother, Maleloko Mapitsi, alerted the police to a foul odour and flies coming from her son’s room. She called the police when she could not access the room.

The police also found the decomposed body of Doctor Mofokeng wrapped in plastic under Mapitsi’s bed a few days later. They were friends at the time.

Mapitsi appeared in the Evander Magistrate’s Court, from where the court referred it to the Regional Court and later the High Court.

Maleloko told the Ridge Times that if the government departments had listened to her before the murders, they would not have happened.

She said she went to the Evander Court, Evander Hospital and the social service department to seek help for her son’s behaviour.

ALSO READ: Family of murdered eMbalenhle woman wants justice

“No one wanted to listen when I said I was scared my son might do bad things. I told them I did not know why he was brought back to me after being arrested for the murder of a girl in Bloemfontein.

“I told them my son is dangerous and a danger to me and his siblings. He was always saying scary things,” Maleloko said.

“I ran to the departments when my son started threatening to kill us. I ended up obtaining a protection order against him. Right now, I am relieved because he is in the hands of the law, but I always pray for him to get help,” said Maleloko.

The police also linked Mapitsi to an old murder case from Bloemfontein.

ALSO READ: Double murder suspect from eMbalenhle to reappear in court